Oddjob

Silent strength meets razor-edged precision; a bowler hat that never misses.

Oddjob is a fictional character from the James Bond series, serving as the henchman to Auric Goldfinger in Ian Fleming's 1959 novel 'Goldfinger' and its 1964 film adaptation. Portrayed by Japanese-American actor Harold Sakata in the movie, he is renowned for his distinctive bowler hat with a razor-edged steel rim. Described as extremely powerful and loyal, Oddjob speaks only four times in the film, relying on gestures and his lethal weapon to communicate his intent. He appears across various media, including animated series and video games, cementing his status as one of the most popular characters in the Bond franchise.

Quick Facts

Series: James Bond
First: Goldfinger (novel, 1959)
Last: 007 Legends (video game, 2012)
Creator: Ian Fleming
Portrayed by: Harold Sakata
Voice: Jeff Bennett (James Bond Jr.)
Affiliation: Auric Goldfinger
Gender: Male

Lore & Background

In the 1959 novel, Oddjob is a Korean man whose real name remains unknown, with Goldfinger assigning him his title based on duties. He stands over six feet tall, described as squat with 'arms like thighs,' black teeth, and a 'sickly zoo-smell.' His striking power comes from extensive training that develops tough calluses on his hands and feet, allowing him to break thick oak railings and shatter mantels. The novel notes he practiced taekwondo and hapkido in Korea before earning a karate black belt in Japan, reflecting his hatred of being mistaken for Japanese due to the 1910–1945 occupation. He enjoys eating cats, a taste acquired during a Korean famine, and possesses a cleft palate that renders his speech unintelligible except to Goldfinger. His duties include guarding, chauffeuring, and manservant work, but notably not golf caddying as depicted in the film.

Reader's Guide

Oddjob's defining trait is his razor-edged bowler hat, made by Lock & Co. with an inserted chakram for flight. In the film, it decapitates stone statues and breaks necks, though MythBusters later deemed this capability 'Busted.' He acts as Goldfinger's chauffeur, bodyguard, and golf caddy, displaying fanatical loyalty even in Fort Knox's nuclear explosion. His physical resilience is extreme; he survives impacts that would fell others, yet remains vulnerable to electrical shocks when his hat interacts with metal. For opponents like Bond, the strategy involves using the environment—such as cutting cables or deflecting hats—to exploit his one weakness: electricity. In other media, Oddjob appears in 'James Bond Jr.' with a top hat and hip-hop attire, surviving electrocution via unconsciousness, while video games like 'GoldenEye: Rogue Agent' show him killed by being tossed into a pit.

Did You Know?

Oddjob speaks only four times in the 1964 film, saying 'Aha!', 'Ah! Ah!', 'Ah!', and a final 'Arrgh!'
In 1998 the hat was auctioned at Christie's in a sale of James Bond memorabilia and sold for £62,000.
MythBusters tested the hat's decapitation claim and labeled it 'Busted'.
Oddjob's electrocution death in the film inspired Bond's remark: 'he blew a fuse'.